Computed Tomographic Diagnosis of Unsuspected Pericarditis

RT Dwyer, T Khalil

Hong Kong J Radiol 2003;6:36-9

There is a paucity of scientific literature regarding the utility of computed tomography in the diagnosis of acute pericarditis. This report may be the first in the English language literature to document a diagnosis of clinically unsuspected acute pericarditis made using computed tomography. Spiral computed tomography has the capacity to diagnose acute pericarditis, since lymphadenopathy and hazing of the epicardial and mediastinal fat planes may be diagnostic signs for this pathology.